Cooper City and the $$’s

Below is a letter that was forwarded to us. It has been sent to many and especially the City Commissioners.
We are confident that many others would like to hear from someone who definitely has an opinion of what really is going on at the city. We have reviewed it and feel it should be shared with everyone.


To all:

I am glad that the special workshop has been called. For several years we have been misled, in my judgment, as to the City's financial standing and health by dubious reporting of unrestricted reserves, what could and could not be transferred from one fund to another at the commission's discretion, what was and was not required by law and regulation and what was and was not within the guidelines of generally accepted accounting principals. As a result, the commission never seemed to know with certainty what its available recourses were and/or how big an opportunity or problem it faced.

Some progress has been made. At last the commission seems to understand that it can transfer money between W&S (Water and Sewer) and the general fund ( and vice-versa ) as in its judgement seems necessary and prudent. Hopefully, it now understands that there are not 2,3 or 4 sacrosanct reserve funds. There is only 1 unrestricted reserve fund, portions of which it can "earmark" for convenience sake as being "thought of" as for one thing or another. Otherwise city funds can only be restricted by contract terms, the law and /or state and county regulations. Neither the staff nor the commission can "restrict" funds without a legally sufficient reason.

However, we still seem to have some in the staff and/or commission who wish to manipulate the picture for some purposes or another by calling things "restricted" that are not according to law, regulation or the opinion of the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Programs or just good common sense.

For instance, in the 2007 CAFR (Cumulative Annual Financial Report) the city manager had to say that the city staff wanted to call some $7.7 million in future interest requirements as requiring that amount of cash and investments should be called "restricted" and not counted in unrestricted reserves. The GOFOA said that the staff and city should not do that. But, the staff did it anyway. The city manager said that doing it the way the GOFOA said was proper would have shown unrestricted reserves as $23.2 million for FY2007 vs. the $15.5 million the staff wished us to see.----- about a $7.2 million difference.

This approximate difference is still with us today in the material distributed on 6/11/09. By my calculations from that material the city had at least $25,171,780 in unrestricted reserves (surplus) on 9/30/08. The staff's number would be in the range of $18 million or some $7 million in difference. Most of that difference comes from projected interest payments that will come due over a number of future years for W&S bonds and notes. The staff wishes to say that this money needs to be "restricted".

This is just plain silly. First, the Water and Sewer is running at about a $1,500,000 surplus on an annual basis. This is far more than enough to cover its current principal and interest bills. It is also analogous to saying that a person who takes out a $200,000 mortgage at 6% for 30 years should be required to set aside and not touch an amount equal to all the interest that he will pay over the life of the mortgage--say, $350,000 to $400,000 ----as a "reserve" or "restricted". It makes no more sense for a city government to do so than it would for a homeowner.

The commission needs to straighten out the staff on this and very quickly. We have major financial matters to handle. We do not need to be dealing with misleading numbers. The staff did a mediocre job of providing an outlook for FY 2009. With 2/3 of the year done, they could have easily projected year end 9/30/09. They did not.


All you get by digging is that the general fund has a $600,000 plus surplus through 5/31/09 and the proprietary funds are running at about a $1,500,000 surplus rate (about 16% of revenues). The staff also shows projections through 2013, with dubious assumptions showing that we will eat up more than the general fund surplus by 2013. Unfortunately, they provide no such 5 year projection for the enterprise funds. So we are only given half a picture here. So, we do not have a projection for the city for all its responsibilities. The commission needs to insist that it be given a projection for all of its activities, including the pension funds, ASAP. This "piecemeal" just has to stop.

My own bottom line is that the city has more than enough funds to take care of its core, critical jobs and responsibilities such as police, fire and a new fire station and essential, repeat essential, W&S and road/sidewalk maintenance projects for the next 2 or three years without raising taxes.
The first thing it needs to do is to put the $4,000,000 that was lost (due to stock market investments) by the general employees pension fund into the fund to make it whole and keep our word and commitments to our employees. But, it does not have enough money to waste on needless building and special interest projects, such as a new city hall, needless code rewrites and various other giveaway programs.

Best regards,
Ed Wooley

The E-Mail Battle of Truth

From: Elliot Kleiman [mailto:elliot@goodguy2005.com]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 8:29 AM
To: Rev Bob Sands
Subject: Shame on you.

Bob, Shame on you. A man of the cloth promulgating half truths, innuendo and worse.

I thought you were consecrated to act on a higher plane and to tell the truth.

I had always told people that in spite of your support of John, you were an ethical person. Many people said I was wrong about you.

I guess they were right.

FYI: The statements John made in his email to Kiwanis District and to International and others about my use of the Kiwanis booth at Founder's Day to promote the recall petition is a total fabrication and I can prove it. Of course you probably don't care to hear the truth.


From: Bob Sands [mailto:sandscommunications@msn.com]
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 11:05 AM
To: 'Elliot Kleiman'Subject:
RE: Shame on you.

Elliot,

You surprise me, you really do. My ethics are called into question because I point out hypocrisy and support someone with whom you disagree personally and politically? The “many people” that said you were wrong about me don’t even know me, my reputation or my ministry. I’ve been told that “hanging around” John was bed for my reputation. So is hanging around the likes of Judy Stern and others. I have had better than you or them level criticism at me. Furthermore, I did not say anything that wasn’t true, especially about the “Law and Disorder”. John never told me anything about Kiwanis. The booth was seen in the background of the TV interview and several witnesses observed you asking folks to sign the petition while in front of it. I hope they weren’t correct Elliot. And if it isn’t true, I stand corrected.

One more thing, don’t try and play the “clergy” card on me again. Just because someone doesn’t agree with you certainly doesn’t mean that they are unethical. I will put my record and reputation up against yours or any of the politicians in Broward County any day. You just name the time and place and I’ll show up.

Elliot, you have done a lot of good things in this city. Don’t let them be overshadowed by revenge or sour grapes. I think you are better than that. As for the truth, that’s all I want. If you have it then show it to me. I will be glad to meet with you anytime. Just let me know.

Kind regards,
Bob

Email to the Ex-Commish (Elliot Kleiman)

This is an important message for you from The Cooper City Insider Blog. Below is an e-mail sent to Elliot Kleiman from Rev. Bob Sands. At the request of Rev. Sands we are providing this e-mail for all to review.(originally sent Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:16 AM)

Dear Elliot:

Thus far, I have tried to steer clear of all the political maneuvering in which you and others are participating. But I can no longer be silent while this city continues to be ripped apart. For you to issue a recall of John Sims is the height of hypocrisy. You, yourself told me at the Davie-Cooper City Chamber that you did not think that the picture was "meant to be anti[s]emetic". While the picture was distasteful and reprehensible, it is not a hate crime like that which was perpetrated on Mr. and Mrs. Green. Yet we hear more about the picture than we do the Swastika that was etched in Ms. Green's car. Where is that outrage? I think that needs to be given equal investigation time, don't you?

You are correct that you have the right as a citizen to participate in a recall. I agree. I also agree that all of us have the right to free speech no matter how vile we may think another's is. I will defend the atheist right to free speech because if he looses his rights I can also loose mine. Let's just call this what it is, Elliot. This is nothing more than another group of opportunists that have taken this horrific picture and turned it into a personal and political vendetta because they don't like Commissioner Sims. That's fine, you have that right.

Elliot, I must remind you again (you seem to have forgotten this!) that you were part of Commission that violated public trust. You got caught and didn't like it. You spent my money to go out and eat and drink and you did it repeatedly. Did we call for your removal? At one point, a recall for all five of you was being considered, but we decided to wait until the investigation was over and let the FDLE and the Governor have their say. In the end, there wasn't any further investigation. That is the case with Commissioner Sims. Just as all the evidence, including video and receipts pointed to the guilt of all of the commissioners, so all the evidence is pointing to him, but the investigation has been suspended. Right now, there is a media feeding frenzy but the true investigation is at a stand still. I would urge you to reconsider this. Let the Governor have his say. In the end, the truth will prevail. Or is it that you really don't care about the truth?

Additionally, as a fellow Kiwanian, I was appalled at the apparent use of the Kiwanis booth to front your agenda. I trust that you will issue an apology to our entire Kiwanis district for your lack of judgment. Unlike others who want to be removed from your list, I want you to keep me informed every step of the way. After all, we all want what's best for Cooper City, right?

Regards,
Bob Sands

BIO:
Rev. Bob Sands is the Senior Pastor of Community Bible Church in Dania Beach, Florida. He is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, Certified Professional Consultant and the Chaplain for the Florida Funeral Directors Association. He is a frequent speaker at various churches and other venues around the U.S.

BIO:Former Commissioner Elliot Kleiman served one term on Cooper City Commission during which he became involved in a "Dining and Drinking scandal", AKA "Law and Disorder". Drinking just before commission meetings and staunchly refused to acknowledge any wrong doing denying any responsibility and refusing to repay taxpayers, to which the voters responded by not reelected him.

If you wish any further information please visit http://www.coopercityinsider.blogspot.com/
Thank You